Friday, August 19, 2005

King of the road

What do they say about the best laid plans? You best lay them bester? Well, as you can imagine my whole agenda for getting Noah to go down for his afternoon nap before I went to the airport was unsuccessful. Though he normally goes down for a nap promptly at 2 pm – he was too excited by all the unfamiliar sights and sounds to go to sleep. So I left him napless with Dad and Oma while I went to the airport to pick up Cathy. And I felt horrible. I was convinced he was going to be so over-tired, so riddled with separation anxiety that he’d be a horror while I was gone. But if I’ve learned nothing by now I should have learned that Noah is a good baby and he’s pretty damn resilient. Dad said he cried for five minutes after I left but then played happily for the two hours I was gone. In fact Dad and Oma seemed to have a good time with him. I got reports of dancing, peek-a-boo and tissue eating.

And why was I gone for two hours when the airport is a half hour away you say? Because I got lost. With the simplest directions in the world. My directions said take 309 N to 378 to 22W. Problem was I glanced at them and said “Oh – I have to take 309 to 22” but by the time I got on 22W from 309 I got on past the airport. It took me awhile to realize that I overshot the Allentown area and that I had to turn around. Realizing you have been driving in the wrong direction sucks – realizing it and then being forced to crawl along in traffic the wrong way to get to turn around sucks worse. So poor Cathy and baby Madeline had to wait for my stupid ass to make it to the airport, but they seemed none worse for wear. It was really nice to see them. Cathy is one of the twin daughters of my Dad’s second wife Mary and though they got divorced eons ago the girls are still a part of our large and convoluted family. Madeline is the third and youngest of Cathy’s kids at 8 months old and she has a super sweet laidback disposition. Cathy says it’s because she has to deal with her sisters – 6 year old Emily and 3 year old Mary Katherine, and she advises against having three children so close in age. She says her brain is mush.

After we got back to the house we walked to Applebees for dinner. Both babies were incredibly well behaved (even without a nap!) and voracious eaters. Noah ate two containers of baby food and then proceeded to whine for table scraps during the entire meal. He had pieces of cheese, chicken, broccoli and zucchini. We couldn’t figure out where he was putting it all. I’m near certain that boy has worms.

All that running around early in the morning to juggle Noah’s nap was not all for naught because we had a nice morning anyway. Noah and I shopped at Kohl’s (best shopping carts ever) for about an hour before meeting Jean Dinan at the Quakertown park while she was on her lunch hour from the bank. It was a beautiful day for a picnic and it was nice spending time with Jean who was my next door neighbor growing up and often like a second mom. And I have to mention that the Quakertown park playground equipment is insane – it’s this large wooden castle complex that has to be seen to be believed (which is why I took a photo).

It was a very lovely but very busy day yesterday and today I’m happy to be home with little else to do besides occupy Noah, straighten up the house a little and work a bit on my PR project.

6 comments:

hazel said...

that park in quakertown used to be trent's most favorite activity to do. like better than his "super kintendo six-y four" which is saying alot.

you worry too much. I may have that tattooed on me somewhere so I can just point to it when I see you. but it's very sweet that you worry about noah being okay for people.

lonna said...

I make Ethan drive everywhere when we're around there. I would totally get lost. We used to fly into ABE before Dermot if it was cheaper. It seemed kind of convoluted to get there.

Dermot can go napless and be great for other people. He's only bad for us if he skips a nap.

Katy said...

One thing I've noticed in my auntiness is that it doesn't matter how rotten the babies are being, families just thrilled to have them all to themselves. So though Noah is an angel, remember that even if he wasn't everybody would love to be around him.

Unknown said...

I am glad everything went well. I still get lost somewhere whenever I go home. I ended up in Jersey this last time. I totally understand.

Glad you got see Jean (Mrs. Dinan to me). I love that woman to death!! She and Greg are like grandparents to my kids.

mrs. awesome said...

it's only when you really need them to take a nap that they won't! but, murphy's law aside, g. is apparently always perfect when we're not there. strange how that isn't the way at home....:)

Missuz J said...

Sophie is good for everyone else but me. I'm kind of ambivilant about it. I'm glad she's not a pain in everyone else's ass, but I wonder why she's such a pain in mine.